


Moving On

by theozmachronicles



Category: Stargirl (TV 2020), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25948834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theozmachronicles/pseuds/theozmachronicles
Summary: Rick moves on 2 years after Beth dies.
Relationships: Beth Chapel/Rick Tyler, Billy Batson/Courtney Whitmore, Jesse Chambers/Rick Tyler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Moving On

It had officially been two years since the run-in with Eclipso resulting in the loss of two of their most beloved teammates. The remaining original JSA members thought about Beth and Yolanda daily. Rick more than anyone.

The current JSA consisted of Courtney, Rick, Mike, Maxine Hunkel, Billy Batson, Albert Rothstein, and Kara Zor-L. Pat gave S.T.R.I.P.E to Mike and retired from being an active field member of the JSA. He and Barbara still helped whenever someone got hurt or needed their help. 

Courtney became fast friends with the new members while Rick and Mike were still hesitant to let them in. Rick thought about Beth every moment of his day. Everything he did he remembered doing with her. He always shied away from Pat’s garage because of the memories he tried to bury deep inside of him. 

Rick wanted more than anything to be able to move on. He tried being with other girls but he couldn’t bring himself to start a committed relationship. No one would ever be able to replace what Beth was to him. She helped him open up, helped him be less angry, and helped him realize that he truly had people that loved him. 

A new girl had recently been sitting with them at lunch. She reminded him of Beth. Jesse was always smiling and making stupid jokes about random things. She was also terrible at hiding her meta-human powers from the group. Rick didn’t miss the way her eyes lingered on him for a split second longer than they should’ve. Then again, she didn’t miss the way he smiled softly whenever she entered the room.

Rick hated himself for becoming smitten by her. What would Beth think? His heart belonged to her right? Would she want him to move on with someone that made him equally as happy as she did?

…

“I don’t get it. If you like her, why don’t you just tell her?” Courtney asked. She and Rick were at the Whitmore-Dugan house studying for a history test.

“Because I still love Beth. I always will.” he responded, slightly annoyed by her previous comment. 

“Look, we all have to move on eventually. After Yolanda-” she stopped and looked down at her feet, “after Yolanda died, I didn’t think I would ever find any close friends ever again. I didn’t think I could even be Stargirl anymore. I let my team down. Then I met some of the most amazing people ever! Don’t think of Jesse as trying to replace Beth, think of her as a new chapter in your life.”

“Thank you Courtney. It means a lot.”

“Anytime brother.” she replied, poking him in the side as she did so.

…

Rick walked into school the next day riddled with anxiety. He was actually going to tell Jesse how he felt. What if she didn’t feel the same way? What if she laughed at him? What if- “Hey Rick!” Shit. He was doomed. There she was standing with that million dollar smile.

“A-are you sick? You look sick. Do you need to go to the nurse?” she said with concern in her voice. “You’re scaring me. Talk to me Rick.”

“Yeah I’m fine. Just a little nervous for the history test today.” he responded trying to sound as normal as possible. The smile returned to her face and they started walking down the hallway together.

“Yesterday track practice was crazy. The football team was practicing and Artemis Crock literally tackled two line-backers at once! Then coach- I don’t even know his name started yelling at her so she threw her helmet on the ground and flipped him off. So she’s definitely benched.” she excitedly said and opened her mouth to say something else.

“Hey Jess?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re blabbing”

“I’m sorry. I know you hate that.”

“It’s okay.” he responded smiling at her.

He gave her an awkward one armed hug as he entered the history classroom. She continued down the hallway for her forensics class.

Realization hit him like a truck as he walked into the classroom. He actually liked her. Then he remembered Beth. how she would go on and on about how much she loved the color yellow. Or about how bees were her favorite insect. Would she hate him for moving on?

…

“Would Beth hate me for moving on?” he asked Courney once he sat down.

“Honestly? No. All she ever wanted was for you to be happy. I think that you should take it slow with Jesse and tell her how you feel. She would understand. Remember she just lost her dad and probably needs someone who she can relate to.”

“Courney Whitmore, when did you become so wise?” he asked her with a sad smile.

“Learned it from Billy ‘wisdom of Zolomon’ Batson.” she said with a smile glancing over at Billy and giggling as he dropped his pencil on the ground. He offered a smile and a small wave in return. 

Rick (impatiently) waited for the period to be over and was one of the first kids out of the classroom. He speedwalked to the science lab where he knew Jesse spent her off-periods. “Come here often?” he said when he walked into the room.

She turned around and smiled at the sound of his voice. “Just working on a few of the speedforce equations my dad left in his notebook. I’ve also been cross-referencing them with the time travel notes in your dad's book. No luck so far.” her face dropped as she said the last sentence. “I didn’t know you had this period off.”

“It uh switched this semester.” he responded. She nodded with a slight frown and went back to looking at her equations. Chewing the inside of her cheek as she did so.

“If you want me to leave-”

“Oh no! No no no you don’t have to.” she said perking up. “You can help if you’d like!”

Rick shifted his weight between his feet. It was now or never. He thought of Beth. Courntey was right, Beth would want him to be happy. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”

“What’s up?” she said, closing the notebook and looking up at him.

“I’ve been struggling lately. With everything.”

She looked down knowing he was talking about the two year anniversary of Beth and Yolanda’s deaths. She wasn’t there when it happened but wishes she could’ve done something to help fix it. Jesse cared about Rick a lot. All she wanted was for him to be happy.

“I’m really sorry.” she whispered. “If there’s anything I can do. Anything at all-”

“Go out with me.” he blurted out, immediately putting his hand over his mouth right afterwards. Now you’ve done it Rick. he thought, Scared away the only girl that you’ve actually had feelings for since-

“I-I’m sorry?” she stuttered. Looking at him with her eyebrows raised. 

“Okay, so that was not the best way to put it.” he said looking back up at her, “What I meant to say was, would you maybe wanna hang out sometime? Like more than friends?”

A smile formed on her face melting his heart and she said, “Rick Harris, you absolute DORK! Of course I want to go out with you!” 

He walked over to her and embraced her, met with warm hands around his waist. “Can we take it slow?”

“I don’t know. Slow isn’t really my thing.”

Rick looked down at her with a confused look on his face.

“I’M KIDDING! Of course we can take it slow. I just want you to know that I’ll be here for you no matter what.”

That was the first time Rick felt truly wanted and loved in over 2 years. He just hoped Beth would be happy for him. Afterall, he could never forget his first true love.

**Author's Note:**

> This kinda sucks but whatever <3


End file.
